Up until now, my videos have been focused on weathering model trains, specifically factory-painted models. For the next few videos, I am shifting gears a little bit, for tips and advice on painting model trains. After all, when you start with undecorated models, one can have a lot more freedom not just in how they look, but there are forms of weathering that start from the ground up. This video looks at the foundations of painting undecorated models, including the use of primers as well as pre-shading.
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Products and Equipment Featured or Used in this Video:
The following are affiliate links to Amazon. I receive a small commission if purchases are made through these:
Spray-can Primers:
Spray can primers are easy to use, and are great for setting down base coats on either larger models or several models at once:
Games Workshop
These are good quality primers. Even military modellers make use of the black in particular. You can’t go wrong with these:
Chaos Black: amzn.to/2Vp7miE
Corax White: amzn.to/2Roiygc
The Army Painter
While the Army Painter primers also come in black and white, these links show some alternatives for some colours that would be useful to model railroaders:
Leather Brown: amzn.to/2Rolmde
Fur Brown: amzn.to/2RrYE3S
(there’s a total of 22 different colours from this line)
Tamiya Fine Primers
Tamiya primers are extremely fine and work well with their own brands of paint. I have found that I need to clear-coat the first layer of paint to protect it as it sometimes rubs off. These primers only come in white and grey. These cans are also half the size of the Games Workshop and Army Painter cans.
Grey: amzn.to/2VoIG9I
White: amzn.to/2CIOYK0
A special note on automotive primers: I don’t recommend these for the fine detail of model trains. They do work well for things like model rocketry, but some of them can and do fill in detail, as they are designed to cover up imperfections on a full-sized car.
Airbrush Primers:
Using an airbrush gives the most amount of control for applying primers, and are becoming more common these days. Both Badger and Vallejo make polyurethane acrylic primers, where it used to be that airbrush primers, such as Gunze-Sangyo and Tamiya are lacquer based.
Stynylrez Primers:
As an airbrush primer, these are my new favourite. I like how they go on, how they hug the detail, and how they do stick well to the surface. My only caution is to let the primer cure fully before you apply any sort of masking tape:
Stynylrez Black 4oz: amzn.to/2RuvxwN
Stynylrez White 4oz: amzn.to/2RrXLbp
Three pack - White/Black/Grey: amzn.to/2RuvvFb
6-tone pack: amzn.to/2SzgPC2
Vallejo Primers:
I have not tried the Vallejo primers, but I am told they are good. Like Stynylrez, they are available in numerous colours. Follow one of these links, and they will lead to the different colour choices:
Black: amzn.to/2BWNbQ8
White: amzn.to/2BU3uNp
Grey: amzn.to/2Rp0IK5
Tamiya Paint: Hull Red: amzn.to/2SzhuU2
This isn’t a primer, but there are Hull Red style primers out there.
Grex Genesis XGi3 Airbrush Starter Set amzn.to/2E6l1pg
(Dual-action Gravity Feed airbrush, compressor, braided 6ft hose, and a getting started DVD)
This is an updated version of the combo set that I started with. The advantage of this newer version is that if you wanted to swap out needle sizes, it can be done with upgrade kits, and it comes with different sizes of paint cups. It comes with a 0.3mm needle as standard. This also comes with the same compressor that you saw in the video. I’ve been very happy with my setup. It has done everything I’ve asked it to. Fittings on this airbrush and hose are ⅛” which are compatible with Iwata hoses.
Grex Genesis XGi3 Airbrush alone: amzn.to/2P89mHz
Equipment & Software:
Sony SLT-A55 DSLR (Link is for the A68) - amzn.to/2x81GOv
Zoom H4n Handy Recorder: amzn.to/2K3TdBY
Boya BY-M1 Universal Lavalier Microphone - amzn.to/2Qml0QO
Manfrotto 190X Pro Tripod - amzn.to/2Nz4vCu
Adobe Creative Cloud:
Photoshop CC 2018, Premiere Pro CC 2018, Audition CC 2018, After Effects CC 2018.
Learn How to use them: amzn.to/2Nz4z5c
Credits:
Music: "Engine No. 9" by Les Hooper
© 1981 Birch Island Music Press, Sole Selling Agent: C.L. Barnhouse Co., Oskaloosa, IA
Used with Permission
Picture of the B36-7 is from Rapido Trains and used for the purposes of illustration.